


Loved

by ZombiesAreGarbageAtKnitting



Category: Tales of Symphonia
Genre: Angst Prompt, Angst with a Happy Ending, Day 2 baby!, F/M, I know what you're thinking, Kranna Week 2019, Kratos acts angsty, Zombie what are you doing, as usual, this isn't smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-19
Updated: 2019-11-19
Packaged: 2021-02-13 00:08:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21485107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZombiesAreGarbageAtKnitting/pseuds/ZombiesAreGarbageAtKnitting
Summary: When he is at his lowest, Anna reminds Kratos that above all, he is loved.
Relationships: Anna/Kratos Aurion
Kudos: 10





	Loved

**Author's Note:**

> Day 2 of Kranna Week: Angst!  
I was listening to Pandora when I wrote this, and Lauren Daigle's "You Say" came on. HOLY SHIT does that song match up with Kratos. Dude needs a hug, bad.

_ You say I am loved when I can't feel a thing _

_ You say I am strong when I think I am weak _

_ And you say I am held when I am falling short _

_ And when I don't belong, oh,  _

_ You say I am yours _

_ \--”You Say” by Lauren Daigle-- _

* * *

The apartment was quiet. At least, it was until the couple burst the door open, neither speaking as they stumbled into the place they’d called home for the past three months. Anna cradled her arm, wincing as she brushed against the deep, jagged gash that was bleeding profusely. Kratos had wrapped it in his cape, which was now blood-stained and wrinkled. Without speaking, he quickly grabbed some bandages from the closet, rushing to heal and bandage the wound.

They were still silent.

Finally, Anna said quietly, “I’m fine, Kratos, please don’t be like this.”

He tightly tied the bandage around her arm. “You are not fine,” he said harshly. “You are injured. That bandit was aiming for your neck. You could’ve...” He inhaled sharply at the thought. “Can you move your fingers?”

Anna tried it. All five fingers wiggled, though they felt stiff and painful to move. She decided not to let him know that. “Yeah. They’re fine.”

“Good. No nerve or tendon damage.” His voice still had a hard bite to it; he was angry. “You’ll have to keep the bandage on for a few days. My healing magic has its limits.”

“I understand.” Anna watched as he stood up, gathering the supplies to put them away. “Are you okay?”

“Fine.” Clipped and short. She folded her arms indignantly.

“Oh, so that’s how it’s going to be?” she spat. “Whatever.”

She went to the kitchen. If he wanted to be an obnoxious, ornery child, then she might as well start making dinner without him.

She opened the door to the cupboards, almost bare since they didn’t have much money. The rice they’d carefully rationed was in a burlap bag, and the dried meat they’d recently bought for cheap from a merchant was next to it. She could fry that up with some vegetables. Perfect.

She began to heat the wood fire stove, struggling to light it with her bandaged arm. By the time she had managed it and stood up, Kratos was back, watching her with dark eyes.

Anna ignored him. It wasn’t her job to manage her husband’s emotions. She continued dinner by pulling a bunch of broccoli towards her and picking up the knife with her injured hand. She winced as she tried to curl her fingers around the handle, but stopped and switched hands. It was a lot harder than it looked, she mused.

“I thought you could move your fingers,” Kratos interrupted.

“I can,” she said curtly. “But they hurt when I do.”

“You didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t ask.”

“...” Kratos made a noise in his throat that showed his displeasure. She rolled her eyes. 

Anna kept chopping the vegetables, though the process was slow. Kratos was still watching her, a blank look on his face. She tried to make it look like she was being methodical, but she was sure her husband saw through it.

A few minutes passed before she finally finished the broccoli. She still had peppers and onions to do, and she certainly wasn’t looking forward to the task. Suddenly, as if he had been waiting for the opportunity, Kratos took the knife from her, sliding it easily out of her fingers.

“I’ll do it.” His voice still had an edge to it. “Go sit down.”

“Excuse me,” she snapped, snatching the knife back. “I’m making dinner. Though if you keep acting like this, I’m only sharing with Noishe.”

Kratos grit his teeth. “Anna,” he replied tensely, “you are injured. I will do it.” He took the knife from her hand again. 

“I’m fine,” she retorted, slamming her bandaged hand on the counter. It sent a jolt of pain up her arm and she hissed.

“See?” He snorted derisively. “You’re not fine. Go do something else if you’re so stir-crazy.”

“I am not an invalid.” Anna rubbed her arm and tried to take the knife again. He held it out of her reach. “Grr...you’re such a…”

“A what, Anna?” he asked. “A man who doesn’t want to see you hurt? How cruel of me.”

With that, he stepped in front of her, gently bumping her out of the way. She wrinkled her nose at him. “Don’t be a jerk—”

“I said, I’ll handle it!” Kratos’ voice echoed in the kitchen, making Anna recoil as if she’d been slapped.

It was one thing for Kratos to shout on the battlefield, where his voice needed to be heard. But he always spoke in a calm, collected tone outside of battle. It was...unnerving, she supposed, to hear him raise his voice in their home, the sanctuary they had built together. Distressing to hear that peace broken.

Immediately, Kratos seemed to regret it. He turned away, setting the knife on the counter.

“...Anna…”

“Stop.” She huffed air out her nose and put her hands on her hips. “I don’t know what has you acting like this, but it needs to stop.”

“I think...I need to be alone for a while…”

Anna inhaled, slow and strong. “...Yeah,” she said finally. “I think you do.”

* * *

Kratos went to the place he felt most at ease. He’d always liked them; Anna often teased him mercilessly, while others thought him strange.

It didn’t matter. Anna said it was one of his endearing quirks. He didn’t care much what others thought.

The graveyard was calm and quiet, an atmosphere of peace hovering. It wasn’t very large, just a few grave markers and flowers scattered around. No grieving loved ones today.

He sat down on a rock near the edge of the graveyard and put his face in his hands. He was such a fool.

He chastised Anna all the time about letting her emotions get the best of her. Warned her to keep a cool, level head at all times. And yet, here he was, shouting at her because of his own failure.

Failure to keep her safe. 

Because, spirits, he’d been so scared when he saw all that blood.

There had been three of them: gnarly, nasty-looking men with rags covering their faces. One had engaged Kratos in a fight, while the other two went straight for Anna. They probably thought she was an easy target; short and skinny, people tended to underestimate her. However, after she’d given one of them a broken nose and a fractured kneecap, the other man had pulled out a knife.

Kratos had watched it, almost in slow motion, as the man dove for her neck. She’d blocked it just in time, but the only thing he saw was blood. Blood, spattered all over her face and chest as she cried out with pain. 

In barely a minute, with a whirlwind of his blade, Kratos had impaled the man. A choked cry, and man fell, dead. He’d gone to Anna and wrapped her arm up, silently thanking Origin for keeping her safe.

If he’d just been paying attention.

If he hadn’t been so far from her.

If he had only protected her.

He sat there for a while, until the sun started to go down, casting shadows on the graves.

“Sir? Are you okay?”

Kratos’ head shot up. There was a teenage boy in front of him, looking worried. “I’m fine,” he said quickly. “Just...feeling a bit ill.”

“Do you need me to get someone for you?” The boy gently touched his shoulder, as if checking to see if he was alive. “Or sit with you?”

“No, no. Please, go about your business.” Kratos stood up, intending to go for a walk. The boy gave him a sad smile.

“I’m just visiting my mom.” He gestured to a bundle of daisies he had in his hand. “It’s only been a few weeks. I’m still a little...well, I’ve never really been to a graveyard before.”

Kratos nodded at him. “I’m sorry to hear about that.”

“I was just worried, you know.” The boy shifted on his feet. “When my dad comes here, he sits right where you are and...cries…”

Kratos frowned. “Your father...he must miss your mother.”

The boy nodded. “He says he can’t sleep right without her. Always says he wished he’d spent more time with her.”

Kratos stiffened. “He does…?”

“Uh, yeah. He was working a lot, you see, and so it was usually just Mom at home. I guess he just misses her.”

The boy waved goodbye and went to a grave nearby. As he turned away, Kratos felt his stomach drop.

Was this what he wanted to spend his time doing? Hanging around in graveyards and ruminating on Anna’s hypothetical death? And, meanwhile, he could’ve been spending his precious time with Anna herself. He stood up and clenched his fist against his side.

He needed to go home. He needed to see her.

* * *

By the time Kratos got back to the apartment, the sun had gone down. Noishe was sitting outside the door, as if guarding it. Kratos took a minute to rub his head and whisper his thanks.

Upstairs, the apartment was silent and dark. The dishes Anna had used were all washed and drying; he noticed that there was a small bowl of food covered, leftover for him.

Finally, Kratos opened the door to the bedroom and peered in. He sat down on the edge of the bed they shared. Anna was lying there, her brown hair spread out on the pillow, bundled up in her quilts and blankets. He could hear her breathing; it sounded thick and heavy. A normal person might think she was sleeping, but he knew better.

“...I’m sorry.” He hesitated, then reached out and rubbed her back tenderly. “Please forgive me, Anna, I should have never let my anger get the best of me.”

She rolled over to face him and he felt his chest seize. She had two fresh tear tracks from her eyes.

She’d been crying.  _ He’d _ made her cry.

He hated himself in that moment.

But to his surprise, she sat up and pulled him into a hug, smiling against his shoulder. “Of course I forgive you,” she whispered. She kissed his cheek and pulled him closer. He put his arms around her, closing his eyes as he pressed his face against her hair.

“You deserve better,” he said softly. “I can’t even protect you from some second rate thief—”

“Can’t protect…? Kratos!” She leaned away from him and frowned. “Is that what this is all about? You feel like you need to protect me?”

He hung his head. “I made a tragic mistake today. You were almost killed because I wasn’t paying attention—!”

“Could’ve had something to do with that bandit and his knife,” she said playfully. “I think he might have been the key element.”

“—And then I took my anger for myself out on you.” He sighed. “You deserve so much better than a man like me.”

“Kratos,” she said slowly, “I need you to come out of that well of self-loathing and join me up here, please.”

He blinked down at her. “...I failed you.”

“Well, that was some failure,” she said, grinning cheekily. “As you can see, my arm will probably never walk again.”

There it was. Whenever Kratos found himself spiraling into self-doubt, she was always there to pull him out of it. With a joke or a tease or a smile. She reminded him that he was loved and valued and cared for. 

He really didn’t deserve her.

“Kratos, you and I both know that all it takes,” she said, “is a single hit in the right spot, at the right time. It could’ve just as easily been you, and then I’d be sitting here, wrapping up your arm.”

He kissed her forehead. “I know,” he said quietly. “I know that, I just…” He faltered, not sure how to explain his feelings.

“I get it. It’s human nature to want to keep your loved ones safe.” Anna slid her arms underneath his arms, hugging him around the chest and burying her face against him. “Don’t you think I worry like crazy every time you go rushing into battle, sword swinging?”

Kratos inhaled and nestled closer to her. “...You do?” he whispered. He felt her laugh against him, body shaking.

“Of course I do.” She tilted her head up so that her chin was on his chest and she was smiling up at him. “Kratos, you’re my husband. The love of my life. We protect _each other _and care for _each other_…” Her smile got broader. “I don’t forget, Kratos, who saved me from that ranch. I wouldn’t even be alive if it weren’t for you.”

Kratos hugged her tightly. “You’re amazing,” he murmured. “Simply...astounding.”

“You’re not so bad yourself.” She stretched up to kiss him. “Just...remember something, okay?”

“What?” he asked.

“If something does happen to me, don’t blame yourself.” She rubbed his cheek affectionately. “I will always forgive you for your mistakes. Extend yourself the same courtesy.”

“...What did I do to earn the affection of a woman like you?” He pressed his forehead to hers, his eyes intent on her own. 

Anna flopped back into the bed. “Mmm, well, come over here and let me show you all my...affection.” 

Kratos’ laugh echoed through the room as she pulled him down. He might not be perfect, he thought. He might make mistakes, and he might act foolish sometimes.

But at the very least, he would always have Anna’s love. And that was enough.


End file.
